1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for winding and boxing wound coils of filamentary material, and more particularly to such method and apparatus for automatically inserting a payout tube into a radial opening in a wound coil of filamentary material, threading an end portion of the filamentary material through the payout tube, inserting the wound coil into a container and securing the end of the withdrawn filamentary material on the container, and closing the flaps of the container, sealing the container and removing the container from the machine.
2. Related Art
The following patents each disclose container structure for retaining a wound coil of filamentary material for feedout through a radial opening in the wound coil and out of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,491 to Gerwig discloses a package for a wind of flexible material and having end-forming flaps hinged about axes perpendicular to the axial opening of the wind. Truncated pyramids project inwardly from the end walls to control the unwinding of the coil and are formed by the folding of a blank of cardboard having extending flaps interleaved with the end flaps of the box to hold the pyramids in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,817 to Newman discloses a package of a compressed wind with the end walls substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,270 to Newman et al. discloses a package provided with tapering members within the axial opening to guide the individual coils of the material as they are withdrawn, in the space between the cone and the inner wall there is arranged a removable solid material which is held against the inside coils of the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,315 discloses a package for containing a wound coil with a funnel having a stem positioned in the radial opening and with the mouth thereof substantially at the midplane of the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,636 to Wise discloses a carton having a series of connected walls forming a perimeter around the coil and each of the walls has opposed hinged flaps. Tabs located on the edge of each flap opposite the hinged connection and the tabs on each side of the coil interlock to form a tapered boss extending into the open center of the coil spaced from, but facing, the like opposing boss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,533 to Kotzur et al discloses a container having an octagonal insert and corner payout and includes a feedout tube inserted in the radial hole of the wind. Opposite sides of the insert engage the inner surfaces of the container. The bottom and upper surfaces of the container include intersecting cone sections for supporting the inner windings of the wound filamentary material.
As is evident from a consideration of the above prior art there is a need for improved method and apparatus for automating the packaging of wound coils.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for automatically winding filamentary material on a mandrel and packaging the wound coils in a container and including a payout tube for paying out the wound coil through a radial opening in the coil and an aligned opening in the container for retaining the payout tube.
It is a primary feature and advantage of the present invention that a wound coil of filamentary material having a radial opening for receiving a payout tube and through which the wound filamentary material is withdrawn from an aligned opening in a container in which the wound coil is automatically packaged.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus for loading a wound coil of filamentary material, having a payout hole extending through the coil from the outermost wind to the innermost wind, from a turret station where the filamentary material is wound, and for positioning the wound coil for movement of the wound coil to a boxing station.
It is a feature and advantage of the present invention that the wound coil with a payout hole is positioned for reception of a payout tube in the payout hole and the free end of the wound coil is secured to be subsequently grasped and pulled through the payout tube to the outside of the wound coil and the container.
It is another object, feature and advantage of the subject invention that, in a method and apparatus for automatically winding and packaging coils of filamentary material, a rotating turret mechanism is employed wherein the coil may be wound and then subsequently the wound coil is rotated into a position where the wound coil is located in a boxing station wherein the flaps of the container are folded around the wound coil and the payout tube is automatically inserted through an opening in the container and into the radial opening such that a free end of the coil is grasped and removed through the payout tube and the opening to the exterior of the container.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide both method and apparatus for automatically folding the flaps of a container around the wound coil and applying adhesive thereto to form the container.
It is yet a further feature and advantage of the present invention that the flaps of the container containing the wound coil of filamentary material are automatically glued and folded.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide both method and apparatus for automatically removing the packaged container of wound filamentary material from the packaging apparatus.
It is still another feature and advantage of the present method and apparatus that the container of wound filamentary material is automatically removed from the packaging apparatus.
The boxing machine of the present invention includes a rotating turret station where the coil of filamentary material is wound and then rotated and positioned at a payout tube insertion and boxing station wherein the various flaps of the container are folded around the wound coil. This station includes means for placing a payout tube into position for being inserted through a flap in the container and into the radial opening in the wound coil whereby an exposed end of the wound coil is grasped and removed through the payout tube to the exterior of the container. During this operation another coil is being wound at the opposite side of the turret for subsequent rotation to the payout tube insertion and boxing station. Various sensors provide signals to a programmer for controlling the winding of the coil, the movement of the turret, the operation of the payout tube insertion operation and the gluing and folding of the various flaps of the container to form the box enclosing the wound coil.